The dispute over traffic calming measures in Totnes has been very long and divisive – with residents, traders and councillors on both sides of the dispute holding strong views.

It is important that we all now work hard to heal those divisions. It is also important that we should all respect the decision of the courts.

We should remember that they made no judgement upon the effectiveness of the scheme that has been in place since 2011; what the courts have concluded is that incorrect consultation procedures were carried out by the highways department.

In the short term, traffic volumes in the town centre are likely to more than double but in the longer term we may be able to introduce alternative measures to regulate through-traffic.
My hope is that residents, traders and councillors can now work together to agree upon alternative traffic calming measures that accord with the Town Council’s ‘Transport Policy & Strategy’ and that will enable the introduction of “Shared Space” - which is the one goal upon which there is widespread agreement.

My fear is that the County Council may have very little money, officer time or motivation to help to implement any alternative traffic calming schemes.

– Cllr Robert Vint, Devon County Councillor for Totnes Rural

Campaigners claimed the one-way system was killing trade Credit: ITV West Country

A West Country MP has responded in her own way to calls by the Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump for a ban on Muslims entering the US, in the wake of the deadly California shootings.

Mr Trump said a shutdown should remain until the US authorities "can figure out" Muslim attitudes to the US. The White House quickly responded that the comments were against US values and national security interests.

And Sarah Wollaston, who represents Totnes, tweeted this response for the UK.

Fraudsters are targeting elderly people in the West Country and duping them out of their life savings over the phone.

Police say the latest victim, a woman in her 80s from Totnes, was persuaded to hand over £6,000 because she was worried her bank account was at risk.

A man phoned her, saying he was from the Serious Fraud Department of the Metropolitan Police and that there had been security problems with her account. She was asked to withdraw her money, and was later persuaded to hand it over as 'evidence' to a female colleague who then visited later in the day.

Similar incidents reported in Devon in the last few days include a 76-year-old woman from Plympton, a man from Totnes and a 53-year-old woman from Torrington, who were all asked to hand over money but refused.

Police are warning that fraudsters will pretend to be calling from the bank or from the police, and will be incredibly convincing.

The latest scam is to ask the victim to transfer money through a foreign currency exchange.